Radiator screen for automobiles



Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,558,533-` PATENT OFFICE.

RURTIs o. oo'NR, or RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR To CRAWFORD MANURAGTR. ING co., INC., or RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, A ooRroRA'rIoN or VIRGINIA.

RADIATOR ASCREEN RoR AUTOMOBILES.

To all 'whom it may concern." I I Be it known that I, BUnrIs Conn, a

I citizen of the United States, and resident of Richmond, in the county ofl Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented cert-ainl new and useful Improvements j in Radiator Screens Vfor Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertai'nsfto make and usethe same.l j This invention relates to attachments to the radiators` of motor vehicles, and more particularly to means `adapted for adjustn ment to vary the amountof air allowed to pass through the front of the radiators.

Theprincipal object of the inventionyis the production of a novel form of curtain or shield adapted for quick attachment-to the front of any automobile radiator, and which may be easily adjusted to increase or reduce the circulation of air therethrough.

Another object of the invention is the production of a novel device of the character described, which will be economical and ef ficient, and which will present a. neat appearance in all positions of adjustment.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully set forth and described in the following specification, when read 'in connection with the drawings forming` a part thereof.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a plan View of the Ifront ofan automobile radiator equipped with my improved structure, and showing the shield supporting` bars in dotted lines.`

F ig. 2 is a similar View illustrating the shield in a different position of adjustment.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the Aline 3-3 of Fig. 1. I A

Fig.' 4 is a detailed perspective view of one of the supporting guide bars,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation ofthe folded shield, showin-'g a portionfoffjone of the' guide-bars, and

Fig. 6 is an enlargedjview, partly in vertical section, showingja portion ofyone of the guide bars and ofthe slat sections detacha bly connected thereto. Y *'v- I y Now referring specifically to the drawings, lA indicates thefradiator of any automobile` whichradiator may be provided with the usual cells aI, and l, l, represent bars Wllill er@ here shown as secured t-o honeycomb ltype,jby means of bolts 2 each of which extends' through the cells of the honeycomb, and is provided-with alieadr at the outer end, and a screw-threaded por-` tion 4 at the innerend, a nut 5 being mounted lon the end el, and adapted to beturned thereupon to engage the inner face` ofthe honeycomb,v whereby Ato firmlyjl retain' the bars 1 in position. The construction con-A templatestheprovision of ag-barlat each side.ofI.the radiator,- asy clearly shownin FigfQ, and, at each end,.thebars l areoifset from` theradiator as shownin Fig. V3. If desired the upper and lower ends of the bars maybe connected directly `to the 'portion of the radiator `abovenand below, the honeycomb, by'means of screwsor bolts,or otherwise. .I j' Y.

The screen or curtain 6 is made upf of a plurality of foldable slat sections 7. As shown in Fig. 4, each section 7 comprises a double layer of flexible material, having a stitlening `rib 8 positioned between the two layers of material above andbelowthe rib 8, the two layers of material are stitched together at 9, 'thereby formingI a flexible joint .permitting the'IIrespective `slats 7 to freely swing one upon the other in order to assume the overlapping position clearly showninFig. 5 I I II At the top the bars l, I. are provided on the outer facewith a snap-fastener 10 of any4 desired type, similar fasteners being carried throughout the length oftheqbar, said fasteners being 'adaptedfor 'co-operative engagement with complementary fastenersll, carried by the inner face of the top of the screen 6. yThe neXtto the top slat 7, of the screen, is alsoprovided, along its innerfface, and on each side.` with a fastener 12, adapteduto co-operatively engage the theitop and bottom ofav radiator of the I fastener ll carried by the top slat` 7 ofthe screen.;` .I I I Eyelets 13- are pivotally :secured to the inner`-faces ofvatwleast twoof the slats 7, each -of said eyelets beingi adapted' to en"- circlejon'e of the-bars land guide the screen in' its vertical movements.- I f I In applying the `screen tothe, radiator the bolts 2 are inserted through the proper cells aatA the top, and the-nuts 5 then applied 'and turned `up against the rear of the honeycomb structure to securely retain the bolt in position. The eyelets 13 of the screen are Cil then pushed upwardly over the lower end of the bars 1, and the fasteners 11 at the top of the screen, are snapped into engagement with the fastener 10 carried by the outer end of the bolt 2. v

The lower rods 2 are then inserted through appropriately placed apertures in the bottom portion of the screen and secured in fixed position by turning the nuts 5, as before explained. The screen 6 is now in position to completely close the radiator front. lVhen it is desired to permit the passage of some air through the radiator, the fasteners 11 are disengaged from the fasteners 10, and the two weakened joints 9, thereby causing the fastener 11, on the top slat 7, to be brought into position to co-operatively engage the fastener 12 carried by the sla-t 7 below, as indicated in Fig. 5..

A second stage of adjustment of the screen 6, to allow more air to circulate through the radiator`v may be effected by lowering the screen still further and engaging the fastener 11 with a lower fastener 10 carried by the bars 1, as will be understood the eyelets 13 sliding on the bars and at all times retaining the screen 6 in proper alignment with respect to the radiator.

lVhen it is desired to fully open the radiator the eyelets 13 are allowed to slide downwardly to the extreme lower limit, and the fastener 11 on the top slat 7 fastened to the fastener 12 on the next adjacent slat, all the slats being then grouped as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

Obviously the number of fasteners 1() on the bars 1, may be varied at will, dependent upon the different positions of adjustment desired From the foregoing it will be clear that I have provided a structure wherein any desired vertical adjustment of the screen 6 may be effected. The eyelets 13 at all times prevent the screen from bulging away from the bars 1, thereby maintaining the neat appearance of the former when in operative position and also holding the slats 7 in close proximity to the bars and preventing the ingress of air past the bulged portions which would be present at the sides of the slats, were it not for the provision of the eyelets 13.

It is also to be noted that the fasteners 11 on the top slat 7 of the screen 6 are adapted for connection to the fasteners 10 carried by the bars 1, or to the fastenerY 12 carried by the inner face of the adjacent slat 7. On account of this provision of fasteners the top slat may always rest upon and be con* nected to the next adjacent Slat, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, thereby insuring a neatappearance in all positions of adjustment of the screen 6.

Modifications of the structure herein depicted may be suggested to those skilled in the art, but my invention covers all embodiments falling fairly within the scope of the appended Claims.

What I claim is: i

1. A screen for closing the air opening of motor vehicle radiators, comprising a plurality of hingedly connected slats, guidebars secured to the front of the radiator, fastener elements carried by said bars, eyelets carried by said slats and slidable on said bars, and snapfasteners carried by the top slat and adapted for eo-operat-ive engagement with the fasteners carried by said bars. v

2. A screen for closing the air opening of motor vehicle radiators, comprisingy a plurality of hingedly connected slats, guidebars secured to the front of the radiator, fastener elements carried by said bars, eyelets pivotally carried by said slats and slidable on said bars, and snap fasteners carried by the top slat and adapted for co-operative engagement with the fasteners carried by said bars.

3. A screen for closing the air opening of motor vehicle radiators, comprising a plurality of hingedly connected slats, vertically extending guide-bars secured to the front of the radiator, a plurality of fastener elements carried by said bars, snap fasteners carried by the top slat and adapted for co-operative engagement with the fastener elements carried by said bars, fastener elements carried by the second slat and adapted for co-operative engagement with the fasteners carried by said iirst mentioned slat, and means pivotally secured to said slats and limiting movement of the latter laterally of said bars.

4. A screen for closing the air opening of motor vehicle radiators, comprising a plurality of hingedly connected slats, vertically extending guide-bars secured to the front of the radiator, a plurality of fastener elements carried by said bars, snap fasteners carried by the top slat and adapted for co-operative engagement with the fastener elements carried by said bars, fastener elements carried by the second slat and-adapted for co-operative engagement withl the fasteners carried by said first mentioned slat, and means pivotally secured to said slats and limiting movement of the latter laterally of said bars, said means comprising eyelets carried by the slats and surrounding said bars.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BURTIS O. CONF. 

